Analysis: Andy Burnham's route back to the Commons is clearer - but one big hurdle remains

"Two big hurdles in the way of Andy Burnham's return to Parliament have been cleared. A Labour MP has stood down, allowing the Greater Manchester mayor to put himself forward as a parliamentary candidate. The last time that happened, before the Gorton and Denton by-election earlier this year, Sir Keir Starmer used his authority and control over Labour's ruling National Executive Committee to block Burnham from standing. This time, Number 10 has indicated it will not seek to block him again."

"After a week in which nearly a third of the party, including the health secretary and four ministers, have called for the prime minister to resign, it was unlikely Sir Keir would have had the authority to repeat the move. So another hurdle is cleared out of Burnham's way. The big one remains: can he win the seat? At the general election two years ago Reform UK came second to Labour with about just under a third of the vote."

"But at last week's elections, Makerfield - where Burnham would stand as MP - saw Reform hammer Labour, winning all 11 wards in and around half the vote in the constituency. Nigel Farage has already said his party "will throw absolutely everything at it". Ahead of what will be a messy and bitter battle with Reform, there are early signs of a truce in Labour's internal war."

"Josh Simons, the Labour MP for Makerfield who is standing down to make way for Burnham, is not from the same wing of the party as him. He is a close ally of Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, whose immigration reforms are deeply controversial with the Labour left. He also used to run the think tank Labour Together, which is closely associated with the party's right, after it propelled Sir Keir to leader."

A Labour MP has stood down, allowing Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to put himself forward as a parliamentary candidate. Previously, Keir Starmer blocked Burnham from standing by using control over Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee. This time, Number 10 has indicated it will not seek to block him again, and Starmer likely lacks the authority to repeat the move after internal pressure following calls for the prime minister to resign. The remaining challenge is winning the seat. At the last general election, Reform UK finished second, but at recent elections Reform won all 11 wards and about half the vote in the constituency. Reform leader Nigel Farage says his party will intensify efforts. Early signs suggest a possible truce within Labour, as the standing-down MP is aligned with Shabana Mahmood and the party’s right rather than Burnham’s usual wing.

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